[New York City—Saturday, 14 December 1867]
Saturday morning. We were to have returned home today but the trains have been delayed; the weather is very cold, the snow blows—so here we remain.
Saturday Ole Bull sent us word he would come to play to us—so we sent out invitations to 20 people and to my surprise nearly the whole number came. Ole played delightfully and we were all very jolly together. I wore the breast-pin Ole gave me. Jamie carried the whole thing off capitally.
We were tired the next morning & did not rise early. George Ward came to call & Mr William Cullen Bryant who wanted to talk somewhat about his Homer wh. he hopes to finish. He is a noble-looking old man. Sorrow seems only to have pressed out more sweetness for his fellow men. Then Mr Blodgett carried us in a grand open sleigh to his house where we saw original pictures of great value—a drawing by Doré, portrait of Browning by Lawrence etc. not forgetting Couture’s beautiful work—thence to walk up to Central Park & home to dine with Mr Dickens.
